KACCO is strengthening its agronomy team to better monitor coffee plots in accordance with EUDR compliance requirements.

Field-based immersion to master the KoboCollect tool

A key training session for field agronomists took place both at the KACCO cooperative’s offices and right in the heart of the coffee plantations. The strategic goal? To ensure complete mastery of KoboCollect, the mobile app destined to become their daily work companion for surveying and monitoring member producers.

Guided step-by-step, participants explored all the tool's features: opening digital forms, accurately entering producer profiles, saving forms as drafts during visits to remote areas, and finally verifying, finalizing, and transmitting data to the central server.

Particular care was taken regarding the entry of plot surface areas—a critical parameter where even the slightest inaccuracy can directly impact the coffee traceability chain.

Mapping and GPS coordinates: precision for EUDR compliance

Beyond document collection, a major component of the training focused on precision geolocation. Agronomists were trained to distinguish between a GPS point (marking a fixed geographic reference) and a polygon (defining the exact boundaries of a plot and allowing for the calculation of its actual surface area).

To ensure flawless mapping, several "golden rules" of geolocation were incorporated:

Physically positioning oneself inside the target coffee field;

Locating oneself as close to the center of the plot as possible;

Waiting long enough for the smartphone to achieve maximum accuracy;

Remaining perfectly still while recording the point.

This technical rigor addresses a major challenge: anticipating and meeting the requirements of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Thanks to this reliable data, KACCO ensures it can prove the exact and responsible origin of every exported batch of coffee.

Digitalization: A Driver of Excellence for KACCO

This initiative is central to the comprehensive Digital Business Intelligence (DBI) strategy driven by KACCO. The operational implementation of this effort is supported by Marie-Rose AMANI KALIMBA, an intern recruited through the Talent Partnership program established between KACCO and Root Capital. Her mission is to build the cooperative's long-term capacity for collecting, managing, and analyzing strategic data.

"The goal is to gradually make data a core tool for daily management: understanding exactly what is happening on the ground, relying on verified figures, and making rapid, informed, and effective decisions."

The agronomists' enthusiastic engagement throughout the training demonstrates their commitment to modernizing their practices. For KACCO, digitalization goes beyond mere IT implementation; it represents a genuine cultural transformation.

By combining field-based technology, close support for smallholder farmers, and compliance with international standards, KACCO is reinforcing its position as an innovative and responsible player in the global coffee market.